What is the difference between pelvic rest and bed rest

Read your way through the best-seller list. Learn relaxation techniques for labor. Stay limber. If your health care provider approves, walk, stretch, or do gentle exercises.

Accept help. When friends and loved ones ask what they can do, be prepared with a list of tasks—mowing the lawn, putting away groceries, building the crib, cleaning the bathroom, taking the kids to the park, or keeping you company. Help older kids adjust.

If you have children, provide as much stability as you can—whether it's a regular baby sitter in the morning, a favorite aunt to pick them up from school, or weekend visits from grandparents. Read books, color, or watch movies together. Seek support. To maintain a positive attitude, connect with other moms-to-be on bed rest or those who have been through it. Check for support groups online. Jump to content. Bed rest is limiting physical activity during your pregnancy.

It can last a few weeks or even months. It may be at home or in the hospital. Your doctor may put you on partial bed rest or full bed rest. Partial bed rest usually means it's usually okay to sit, stand, or walk around for short periods of time.

It is sometimes called modified bed rest. Full bed rest usually means you need to lie down most of the day except when you go to the bathroom or take a bath or shower. But every woman and every pregnancy is different. So the amount of activity you can do will depend on your doctor's recommendations.

It's normal to feel many emotions when you find out that you need to be on bed rest. You may feel frustrated, sad, or stressed. Some women even feel relieved. It may help to focus on how you are helping to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible. There are also many things you can do to make your time on bed rest easier.

Your doctor may put you on bed rest if you have preeclampsia or are pregnant with multiple babies. Or it may be recommended if you have a problem with the placenta or the cervix. Your doctor may also prescribe bed rest if you have serious health problems during your pregnancy. Sometimes bed rest is prescribed if there is a high risk of having your baby early.

This is called preterm birth. It is important to know that full bed rest is not often recommended by many doctors. This is because bed rest has not been shown to help prevent certain problems, such as preventing preterm birth. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the reasons for your bed rest. If you've had an episode of suspected preterm labor or you're at high risk of premature birth, your health care provider might recommend activity restriction.

This might mean avoiding lifting items heavier than 20 pounds about 9 kilograms and limiting recreational exercise, particularly strength training and heavy lifting. It might also include changing your work schedule, if it involves working more than 40 hours a week, night shifts, prolonged standing and heavy physical work.

If you've had a stopped arrested episode of preterm labor and you experience an increase in the frequency or intensity of contractions after sex, your health care provider might recommend avoiding sexual activity. If your water breaks before labor starts prelabor rupture of membranes , you have a low-lying placenta, or your placenta partially or totally covers your cervix placenta previa , your health care provider will discuss avoiding activities such as sex and exercise.

If your health care provider recommends bed rest or activity restrictions, ask him or her to discuss the reasons. In the meantime, focus on staying healthy and the day you'll be able to hold your baby in your arms. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Indulge in some downtime and let your guard down. You will not have this spare time on your hands soon. When on pelvic rest, orgasm could be something that you desperately seek. It is that urge that you cannot indulge in and yet you wish to.

You are looking a million bucks and your partner cannot take his eyes off you. Pelvic rest restricts penetration into the vagina which could add pressure to the pelvic region which is not advised.

But there are many other ways to get intimate without having sex:. Pelvic rest does not affect pregnancy and is actually recommended by doctors to avoid any complications during pregnancy. Pelvic rest is advised by a doctor only if he suspects that any kind of sexual activity could involve pressure on your pelvic region, which in turn will have a negative impact on your pregnancy.

Your doctor will make a diagnosis of your situation and talk you through it. Your doctor will explain the reason for the recommendation and for how long you will have to be on it.

Pelvic rest is to maintain a healthy pregnancy to deliver a healthy baby. You need to call a doctor if you notice the below symptoms during pregnancy and have been advised pelvic rest. If during your pregnancy you are experiencing certain complications, your medical practitioner will put you on pelvic rest after a diagnosis.

Be assured that it is not something to be overly worried about. There are several ways to deal with it and in most cases, it is only a temporary phase. When your doctor advises pelvic rest, it is done in the best interests of your health and pregnancy. It is to ensure that you and your baby are safe. A little caution hurt no-one and pelvic rest is a precautionary measure to get you through a smooth pregnancy. Sign in.

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